In a multiple carrier cellular mobile communication system, a frequency hopping method is used to obtain frequency diversity for improving receiving performance of a base station with respect to a packet transmitted from a user equipment (UE) to an uplink. The frequency hopping method means that a spectrum of a carrier modulated by an information signal is hopped within a wide and constant frequency band.
This frequency hopping method is mainly used in either an anti-jamming system for impeding an influence of jamming which is an impedance signal serving to intentionally or non-intentionally deteriorate performance of the communication system, or a communication system in which many users share a common channel. Frequency hopping can be used to improve sensitivity to slow fading and to improve a carrier to interference (C/I) margin in a cellular wireless telephone system.
It is preferable that frequency hopping used to transmit uplink signals as described above satisfies the following requirements.
First of all, the frequency hopping should ensure frequency diversity.
Second, the frequency hopping should ensure interference randomization.
The above requirements are regarded as basic requirements for frequency hopping.
In addition, in a wireless communication system, which uses multiple carriers, including 3GPP LTE system, SC-FDMA mode is adopted for uplink signal transmission. In other words, DFT is performed for a transport signal to solve a problem such as PAPR in uplink transmission, whereby a feature similar to that of single carrier transmission can be obtained.
In this regard, frequency hopping should ensure a single carrier feature for uplink transmission. To this end, uplink signals are preferably arranged in continuous frequency regions.
Meanwhile, uplink transmission of a specific user equipment (UE) can be performed through a specific frequency region in accordance with frequency selective scheduling of a base station. Uplink transmission of a user equipment which uses frequency hopping is preferably established so as not collide with a signal of a user equipment (UE) which follows frequency selective scheduling. Accordingly, a frequency hopping pattern should be established considering frequency selective scheduling.